Lesniak Gets Christie’s Support to Revisit Internet Gambling in New Jersey

March 3, 2011 (CAP PR Wire) – Although Governor Chris Christie had vetoed a bill to modernize New Jersey gambling regulation to include Internet gambling, State Senator Lesniak has issued a statement that Governor Christie would “work with Senator Lesniak to make sure Internet wagering comes to the Garden State.”

According to Lesniak’s statement, “While the Governor expressed concern with some aspects of the bill today, he’s committed to the general idea that we have to expand gaming product in order to bring our gaming industry back from the brink of fiscal insolvency. I’m encouraged that he’s expressed an interest to work together to maintain the core idea behind Internet wagering while making sure that such operations cannot be hijacked by unscrupulous operators.”

Lesniak’s statement also acknowledged the race to be first state to regulate Internet gambling following Iowa’s announcement yesterday that its own Internet gambling bill is in the Iowa Senate. “We need to work as quickly as possible to bring this bill back to the Governor’s Desk, and position Atlantic City to become the Silicon Valley of the high-tech gaming sector. New Jersey can still become the first state in the nation to offer legalized Internet wagering, and by leading the way, we position the Garden State to reap the benefits of getting in on the ground floor of a multi-million dollar market.”

Lesniak cited previously released economic forecasts for New Jersey becoming the first state to regulate iGaming claiming that the move would be worth $350 million in new tax revenue, 57,000 jobs and $470 million in direct personal income.